|
|
Post by potet on May 16, 2023 7:33:23 GMT
Until recently, when I ordered a book from Lulu, the following steps took place. Step 1: Lulu e-mails me the bill with the picture and the title of the book ordered and my physical address for delivery. Step 2: Lulu e-mails me the parcel has been shipped. Step 3: The postal service e-mails me the parcel shall be delivered on such and such date. Step 4: The postal service e-mails me the change of delivery date if necessary. When I order a book on Monday, the book is delivered on the following Satuday. One cannot expect a better service. Yesterday, (Monday, 2023-05-15) I ordered a copy of a book I have been working on for months. Step 1 didn't take place. I received no bill. This is ominous. I am quite worried.  |
|
|
|
Post by And Kevin 2024 on May 18, 2023 23:44:02 GMT
Blame the infinitely more efficient AI.
|
|
|
|
Post by potet on May 19, 2023 10:38:21 GMT
Friday 2023-05-19 Now I have good reasons to worry. Still no e-mail either from Lulu or from the postal service. This is what is displayed in my Lulu account.  |
|
|
|
Post by potet on May 19, 2023 10:41:15 GMT
Blame the infinitely more efficient AI. What does "AI" mean? |
|
|
|
Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on May 19, 2023 14:21:06 GMT
Blame the infinitely more efficient AI. What does "AI" mean? AI: Artificial Intelligence.
AI is used in automated phone systems as well, at times making it nearly impossible to get a live human agent to assist with an issue.
|
|
|
|
Post by potet on May 19, 2023 15:52:21 GMT
Thank. So you think Lulu has an Artificial Intelligence program that masters their deliveries. Possibly because the term "ground" is used in the French status of the other parcel (still undelivered) instead of "mail", and from the USA this was understood by their AI as meaning "make UPS deliver the parcel".  |
|
sirram
Senior Printer
No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money
Posts: 269
|
Post by sirram on May 19, 2023 18:43:40 GMT
Our local history society recently resolved NOT to use Lulu for any future publications. We have a large compendium book in the pipeline (five or six-hundred pages). I haven't yet decided which on-line Print-on-Demand company to use - but it certainly won't be Lulu.
Two price rises by Lulu in a single year was unacceptable - hugely time-consuming for us, given the number of books we have on Lulu. And, for reasons unknown, they have also crippled their (previously brilliant) cover-design wizard. The new version is pretty well useless if one wants a decent front cover.
We will leave our numerous existing titles on Lulu as they all have ISBNs and are therefore globally available. Even so, our sales continue to suffer as Lulu's price-hikes are making our books too pricey.
|
|
|
|
Post by And Kevin 2024 on May 19, 2023 22:35:09 GMT
Yes, I hate those so-called Helpbots. They are even worse when they keep pasting in auto-opening links to FAQ, you have already read, but did not provide the answer. Their constant, 'did you mean?' and click for this problem, that does not list the problem you have, and inability to understand what you are asking is time-wasting. I just keep typing >> put me through to a human, put me through to a human, put me through to a human, and eventually they do. And often they are just as stupid! Level one humans work off answer sheets and it's hard to get passed them to someone who can help. But 10s of 1000s of such staff are being sacked because AI is cheap or even free.
It's as if Lulu have been taken over by the type of investment companies who are only interested in the dosh, cutting back on the service until there is no service.
|
|
|
|
Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on May 20, 2023 17:07:59 GMT
Thank. So you think Lulu has an Artificial Intelligence program that masters their deliveries. Possibly because the term "ground" is used in the French status of the other parcel (still undelivered) instead of "mail", and from the USA this was understood by their AI as meaning "make UPS deliver the parcel". View AttachmentOn the English language version of the page where you pick the delivery service there was a selection for mail, one for ground [UPS here], and one for express. It was up to the person placing the order to choose one as the prices for each type of delivery varied a lot.
An AI likely wouldn't pick the service for you.
|
|
|
|
Post by potet on May 21, 2023 20:20:40 GMT
On the English language version of the page where you pick the delivery service there was a selection for mail, one for ground [UPS here], and one for express. It was up to the person placing the order to choose one as the prices for each type of delivery varied a lot.
An AI likely wouldn't pick the service for you.
Indeed. In the French version of the Lulu site, when the customer reaches the shipping options, these are displayed in English, which is no problem for us.  The first time I saw that - about 12 years ago - I picked the cheapest (Mail), and, to my pleasure, realized it meant a Colissimo parcel brought to my door by the postman, with all the necessary e-mails from Lulu and the postal service in between. I couldn't dream of a better system. Since then I have always opted for "mail". I don't think I ever opted for "Ground". Whatever, if by mistake I had opted for "Ground" for my order placed on Monday April 17, why wouldn't UPS deliver the parcel to my home? Now, for the order of one book on Monday May 15, although I opted for "Mail" as usual, I haven't received any e-mail from Lulu so far (Sunday May 21) and on the Lulu site the order is still being processed.  So Lulu France seems to be going through a troubled period. |
|
|
|
Post by And Kevin 2024 on May 21, 2023 23:24:19 GMT
Thank. So you think Lulu has an Artificial Intelligence program that masters their deliveries. Possibly because the term "ground" is used in the French status of the other parcel (still undelivered) instead of "mail", and from the USA this was understood by their AI as meaning "make UPS deliver the parcel". View AttachmentOn the English language version of the page where you pick the delivery service there was a selection for mail, one for ground [UPS here],
As opposed to a helicopter? I get sick of those landing on my drive.
Once upon a time, if posting overseas, the choice would be ship or air. But often internal mass-mail would often be moved from one end of the county to the other, by air anyway. Most major delivery companies own their own planes, that fly at night, although they are not painted black. Previously they actually sorted mail on overnight mail trains to save time. I doubt they do that now, since the 1960s, when the ripped most of the tracks up.
and one for express.
A faster van? I have been cut across by many of those. I think F1 drivers do it part-time. Then again, they are too skilled.
It was up to the person placing the order to choose one as the prices for each type of delivery varied a lot.
But often made no difference to the speed, or if they got delivered at all.
An AI likely wouldn't pick the service for you.
AI would learn your preference. |
|
|
|
Post by And Kevin 2024 on May 21, 2023 23:31:18 GMT
"So Lulu France seems to be going through a troubled period."
Is it not all handled by Lulu America? Just because the site is in French does not mean that it is in France. The software looks at the French address of who ordered it, you, sends the order to some French printer, who then prints and ships it, Lulu getting the cost to them + their mark-up, which the software will already know. The software doing it could be on Mars.
|
|
|
|
Post by potet on May 22, 2023 10:59:49 GMT
"So Lulu France seems to be going through a troubled period." Is it not all handled by Lulu America? Just because the site is in French does not mean that it is in France. The software looks at the French address of who ordered it, you, sends the order to some French printer, who then prints and ships it, Lulu getting the cost to them + their mark-up, which the software will already know. The software doing it could be on Mars. Quite possibly. While the big parcel is still in the paws of UPS, Lulu handed over the small parcel ordered last Monday to the French postal service, which is reassuring.  On the other hand, there is a big change: Lulu didn't send me an e-mail announcing me the operation. |
|
|
|
Post by potet on May 22, 2023 18:37:32 GMT
Lulu did not e-mail me the parcel was on the way - as they used to - but the French postal service did.  |
|
|
|
Post by And Kevin 2024 on May 22, 2023 22:15:57 GMT
Well let's hope this time they can find the door.
|
|
